On electronic conduction in polyethylene films

DC conductivity measurements were carried out on low-density polyethylene films of thickness 25, 50 and 75 μm. The material showed non-ohmic conduction on application of high electric fields in the range 1 × 10⁷ to 3 × 10⁷ Vm⁻¹. The results were applied to a model proposed by Adachi et al (1971) and good agreement was found between experimental results and those predicted by their model.

The polyethylene was also treated with hexane, following the same procedure as Partridge (1967), and it was observed, as with Partridge, that the conductivity was reduced by two orders of magnitude.